1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a new nickel-based superalloy and to a method to obtain it.
The invention also relates to a mechanical component made with the above mentioned superalloy, a piece of turbomachinery where the component will be fitted and a specific application method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Usually in the field of materials technology, the problems related to the creation of mechanical components which work at high temperatures are solved by using cooling systems or thermal barriers in order to cool the material which they are made of, thus increasing the mechanical resistance. As a matter of fact, at a high temperature the life of the component is shortened if a cooling system is not planned adequately; it might be necessary to lower the temperature during use to extend the life of the component up to a standard value.
Many types of alloys, which are combinations of several elements in which at least one is a metal, have been developed in order to try to obtain a material which, at a high temperature when in use, will show high mechanical resistance and at the same time specific characteristics related to chemical resistance (against corrosion, erosion, or others) based on the specific application. More specifically, in case of turbomachinery components, the use of cooling systems entails complex production processes, and entails a decrease in performance of the specific piece of machinery; this proves that the choice of material which the components are made of is fundamental.
Nickel superalloys are special alloys developed to cope with high temperatures, designed to have good mechanical resistance coupled with high resistance against oxidation at temperatures of around 1000° C., and they are mostly used in the aeronautical and/or aero spatial fields (albeit not exclusively). These nickel-based superalloys include a very wide category of metal based alloys, which are constantly undergoing improvements and research, because the chemical elements involved can be associated differently, based on quantity and number, in a very malleable way, thus obtaining gradual differences based on the specific combination or mixture of elements.
Thus, currently, despite the progress in technology, this issue is still problematic and the necessity to create improved nickel-based superalloys is imperative. The need of superalloys having higher mechanical, chemical and thermal resistance in order to produce more cost effective and better performing pieces of machinery arises.